Strings
by Boomerang Butterfly
Summary: ArashiYukari, WIP When both their fiancees leave them for one another, Arashi and Yukari bond together in an effort to move on and heal. The more they learn about each other, though, the closer they get, sparking a romance, and a big controversy!
1. Sick and Twisted

Hey guys! It's Boomerang Butterfly with my very first ParaKiss fic. I've seen the anime and read the manga several times, but I'm still not sure if I'll get this right. Hopefully ya'll will enjoy it. Anyhoo, this is chapter one and yes, I'm doing the unthinkable. I'm writing an Arashi+Yukari fic!Bold for my first try huh? Well, I like bold. Bold is good.

Disclaimer: Paradise Kiss is property of Yazawa Ai and not me. Sorry, you can't sue me. Besides, I'm broke.

_Strings_

by Boomerang Butterfly

Chapter 1

"Sick and Twisted"

Life has a sick way of turning out.

She, more than likely, would never forget that awful silence. The silence that pierced her eardrums harsher than any screams or whistle or loud song ever could. He was so quiet at the table, quiet and solemn and staring. But he wouldn't dare stare at her. Was he that afraid of what he'd see in her eyes? He really shouldn't have been; there was nothing there.

At least not then.

Initially, she didn't cry. She didn't scream or yell or curse or throw dishes at him because of what he'd just dropped on her so suddenly. In fact, she didn't do a thing. She just sat opposite him at the breakfast nook in her near empty apartment and stared at him, unblinking and still. He didn't speak, and she didn't speak. For a few long minutes, it was so silent she could've sworn the world had stopped spinning.

Then he lifted his eyes to hers and she saw an indefinable emotion swimming around in the deep depths below his furrowed brow. It lay somewhere between guilt and pain and relief, but since there was no word for it anywhere she could remember, she merely crammed all three together and deduced that there was guiltpainrelief in his eyes. And she could also see herself mirrored there in that pool of guiltpainrelief. If she'd had half her right mind, it probably would've scared her how she looked, staring blankly at him as if she didn't care. Which, at this point, she didn't even know if she did or not. It was scaring him though. He fiddled with his fingers and frowned even more, if that was possible, and cleared his throat.

"Say something," he said in a half whisper.

She didn't.

He closed his eyes for a moment, hiding the guiltpainrelief, and the scary reflection that was her, that was shedon'tknowifshecaresyet. Then he opened them again and it was back and she didn't flinch as he took her slender, manicured hand in his and pressed gently.

"Please, say something…anything."

It was almost funny how he begged for her to speak. She, outspoken and blunt, was suddenly refusing to speak. If she'd had half her mind to do so, she'd have probably laughed. But she didn't. Instead, she got up, a lazy IguessIdon'tcareyet expression written all over her beautiful features and walked past him, out the kitchen, to the living room, where she picked up her keys and a curious box still on the empty counter and then headed for the door. He stood up, the frown replaced with pleading on his handsome features.

"Honey…"

His voice, tired and a little strained, called after her before she could walk pass the threshold. Just barely, but enough for him to notice, she turned her head in his direction, long locks of ebony swing past her cheekbones elegantly the way it did when she was thinking or lost in thought and had just been called to attention.

"I suppose I'll come get my things later this week," she said finally, her voice void of any emotion, just under a whisper. Then, slipping on the shades she didn't need for ten at night, she turned the door knob and walked gracefully out the door to her apartment, the one she'd moved out of and broken the lease to, and shut said door behind her softly.

All he could do was slump down back into the chair and stare dejectedly at the engagement ring she'd taken off and placed so gently on the table.

She walked, not sure where she was heading, out the apartment building, just as still and quiet and uncaring as she'd been minutes earlier. By the time she'd reached the street, the lights glowing neon in the dark Tokyo night, however, it suddenly hit her. The moment it hit her she ran. To where, she wasn't aware but her feet seemed to know exactly, and she let them carry her without protest. As she ran, she was dimly aware that hot tears streamed down her cheeks, that a rising ache clutched at her heart, that a part of her felt as though it had been seared and snatched and stabbed and stolen away from her. Clutching her keys in one hand and the box in the other, the sudden realization of what she'd just been told hit her heavy and hard, as hard as her boots hit the cold pavement.

_Hi, I'm world renowned model Hayasaka Yukari and I just found out that my fiancée, Tokumori Hiroyuki, has been cheating on me._

* * *

Life had a twisted way of turning out.

He didn't cry often. In fact, it had been near forever since he'd cried. Probably back when he was still a kid and his grandmother had passed away.

But he cried tonight.

She was packing her things back up, after moving them in just a few weeks ago and leaving. She was leaving the apartment, leaving the neighborhood, leaving his life, leaving him. She was leaving him for someone else. It hurt too. He wouldn't have admitted it but he didn't really have to. It was written all over his face. Idly she stood in front of him, her hands twisted, her head lowered, an apology on the tip of her tongue.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, tears near ready to fall at any moment, but that's just the way she was. He stared at the floor, his own face twisted and furrowed, anger radiating off his body like heat. "I'm sorry," she repeated, this time a little louder, her sweet voice sending slivers of pain through is heart, already broken in a billion pieces. He'd cried silently as she finished packing, and she'd been so oddly quiet the whole time. He had a headache now.

"Look at me," she said suddenly, shifting her slight weight from one foot to another. He stared at the ground, at his hands, at his toes but not at her. He wouldn't look her in her eyes. He was too afraid of what he'd find there.

"Please!" she wailed suddenly, dropping to her knees before him, seated on the bed and tried forcing his eyes on hers. "Look at me!" "Why?" he asked, voice hoarse and rough. He scratched the back of his neck absentmindedly, wiggling his toes because they were getting numb from the cold. "Because…because…" she shook her head and took one of his long, bony, calluouse hands in her small ones. "I don't know!" she finally concluded. "I just need to. Please…"

He wasn't really angry, he thought to himself as he rose from the bed, still staring at the floor. He was disappointed. Hurt. Mad, maybe, but not angry. Angry was an entirely different avenue of emotion than anger. He was definitely crazy, he knew. Crazy because he realized he'd known this would happen for a while now. Even when he finally, finally after all those years together, finally asked her to marry him, even when she'd squealed and said yes, even as she'd kissed him right after, he knew. He just hadn't realized it yet. And he'd been crazy enough to believe that maybe it wouldn't happen after all.

To sum it all up, he felt incredibly stupid.

Besides, what did he have on _him_? Nothing really. Nothing at all. In all counts, most would say he was a failure. And _he_ was a total success. Of course, the only thing he could say he had going for him was his blind devotion, but that didn't count for anything.

He was at the front door putting on his shoes and coat before he realized. "Wait!" she called after him, her sweet little voice straining and stretching and hurting him. "Where are you going?" He shrugged because he really didn't know. And then he finally lifted his head to stare at her, her petite figure shivering from cold and something else…as he stared at her, into her, into her eyes, he found it was an odd combination of guilt and pain and relief. But he couldn't think of a word for all three together so he made his own word.

Guiltpainrelief.

Guiltpainrelief flowed out her eyes, onto her rosy cheeks, down onto her fluffy white coat as she cried. He wondered he she could see the stupidity he felt, or at the very least to pain. She had to have; it was near overflowing again. But he blinked it back, swearing he'd get some aspirin when he got to…wherever he was headed. He turned away and opened the door, cold air hitting him full on in the face, cooling his fevered flushed skin. "I dunno," he muttered quietly.

He was paused at the door for a few more moments when he heard her sniffle and the clompclompclomp of her wedged heeled shoes coming toward him. His name at the tip of her tongue. Her lip trembling.

"I guess you'll be gone by tomorrow, huh?" he asked dryly. He didn't have to look to know she was nodding. And before she had the chance to call his name, he grabbed his keys from the hook by the door and walked outside into the cold Tokyo night, shutting the door roughly behind him, and venturing off to hedidn'tknowwhere.

And all she could do was slouch down by the door and cry as she stared at the tiny engagement ring she was about to take off her left hand.

He began walking but soon was running, not even sure of where to but letting his legs pump, the adrenaline and heat coursing through his veins like the numbness that was slowly starting to take over the pain. He couldn't cry anymore, not even as her words rang through his head. She was leaving, but he was too out of it to hurt anymore. He'd hurt later, he figured and ran harder, breath raspy and foggy in the winter air. Her face and voice and smile and laugh rang through his head, but he couldn't cry. Not even as he thought about the heaviness of it all.

_Hi, I'm Nagase Arashi, aspiring rock star, and I just realized that my fiancée, Sakurada Miwako, is leaving me for another man._

* * *

Yukari's lungs hurt from running so hard. She knew she had to stop, but she wouldn't until she got there. Not until she was where her feet had led her. So she kept running, all those blocks from her apartment to the home of the key in the little box.

Arashi ran without thinking about how much it hurt to breathe. It was probably time he slowed down but he didn't really want to stop. He thought maybe he'd stop when his legs wanted to. So he kept running, to some where he wasn't sure of yet.

He was surprised to see her at the train station, waiting for the last train with a few other people. She was surprised to see him at the train station, waiting for the last train with a few other people. They were surprised to see each other.

Until they both thought about what could've drove the both of them there.

She still had tears in her eyes and his eyes were puffy so she knew that Miwako had broken the news to him, and he knew that Hiro had broken the news to her. And as strange as it should've been to meet like this, to meet so suddenly after the revelation, it felt right for him to take her hand in his as they sat side by side on the train to where ever they were headed, the chill of the night seeping into their bones, grief passed amongst them like a cold or a contagious virus or a yawn.

"Where you headed?" he said finally. She glanced at the box in her hand and then at him, her sudden comrade and smiled weakly, through her tears. "To where I'll always feel 18," she replied and he laughed bitterly, clutching her hand tighter.

They didn't speak again until after they were off the train and walking down the street towards the home of that key in the little box. She had paused at the door after taking the key out and stared at it for a moment, the solidity of what she was doing hitting her just then and her hand shook as she teared up again. Arashi stared at the door for a few seconds before he took the key from her and opened the door, staring at the darkness blandly and gripping Yukari's hand in his as silent tears streamed down her face again.

They walked in together.

He was laying on the floor, her hand still in his and she was sitting up, tears dried now staring at some of the clothes that had been left to her. "I can't believe he did this to me," she murmured so quietly that Arashi almost couldn't hear. "Neither can I," he lied, knowing that it was bound to happen sometime but hadn't realized it until now. "You knew, didn't you?" she asked, running her free hand through her hair. "Yeah…" he trailed off and turned his head away from the hurt in her dark eyes. "I knew. I just didn't know I knew."

They were quiet for another hour later, just staring at the clothes that lined the wall, listening to the aching silence and each other's breaths. Neither was ready to figure out what they were going to do next.

"I'm sorry, Arashi," she said softly, and squeezed the hand she still held, taking in its warmth. He was silent for a few more moments, then shook momentarily and choked out a reply. "Me too, Yukari," he whispered, as fresh tears fell. "Me too."

And they stared silently and cried silently that whole night, two friends betrayed by the ones they loved for the others fiancée. Two peas in a pod. Hand in hand.

They didn't realize yet how things would turn and twist and wind up in a way that neither would have ever imagined. They wouldn't realize it for while, but when they did it would change everything.

_You and I_

_We're stuck together_

_Cut and dry_

_Stuck together_

_One day we'll see_

_Of this I'm sure_

_What this will be_

_We'll find a cure_

_But until time gives us room to heal_

_You and me, we've got pain to klll_

Alrighty then! Do read and review. Tell me how you like this one so far. I'll update ASAP!


	2. Reality

Yay! I've got another chapter up! I'm doing pretty good with this one; I do hope you like.

* * *

Disclaimer: Paradise Kiss is property of Yazawa Ai and not me. Sorry, you can't sue me. Besides, I'm broke.

_Strings_

by Boomerang Butterfly

Chapter 2

"Reality"

Yukari slowly wiggled her booted foot underneath the table of the café where she and Arashi attempted to eat breakfast the next morning. It wasn't really so much of eating as it was sipping tea and sulking, staring absently at the sidewalk or the newspaper or the table. They were quiet, trying desperately to ignore the cold, but bright and sunny December morning, the delicious smell of the warm cinnamon rolls, the cheeriness of the pretty waitress that served them. It was as if, because they were miserable, the whole world around them should have been.

But at least they had each other.

At the moment, though, neither was really thinking about each other, caught in their own misery. Misery loves company, but it's still rather selfish at times. And this was just one of those times. Regardless of how much he'd thought and thought and thought some more about his situation, Arashi had to think some more. The more he thought, the more it hurt, and for the oddest of reasons, he wanted it to. He needed to remind himself how it felt to be this despondent so he'd never feel this way again. He wanted to face it head on, get it all over now, so he could move on.

Only thing was, he wasn't very sure it would work or not. And yet, he sat with the hot cup of tea between his hands, staring at the sidewalk but not seeing it, torturing himself over and over again, hearing Miwako's words ring through his ears.

"_I'm leaving…Arashi, I'm leaving. I'm sorry but…Miwako loves Hiro so much! I could never stop loving him…"_

And she had cried, after she finished her speech, and that was probably what had hurt the most. She was leaving him because she loved another man, and he couldn't exactly blame her. Hiro had what he didn't; a stable job, a warm house where the heater didn't go out, a bright future. And to put the cherry on the ice cream, so to speak, he loved her. He genuinely loved her. Everyone knew that they'd been childhood sweethearts. But so had she and Arashi. It was only a case of who had more to offer, he thought, and stirred the tea for the hundredth time, actually lifting his eyes for the first time to look at his equally miserable companion.

Misery loved Yukari as well.

She looked so dejected, so stung, though with all her pride and glory she was trying to hide it. Of course, Yukari had always had a hard time hiding anything. She wore her feelings on her sleeves for the world to see. And right now, anyone could see how miserable she was. Arashi, afraid she'd catch him staring, looked away for a minute, but then back at her, as she stared blankly at the newspaper but wasn't reading. She was merely staring, not even thinking, just existing at that moment as she mechanically lifted her elegant hand and bit slowly into her cinnamon roll.

"I'm trying not to think about it", she said suddenly, catching him off guard. "Oh," he muttered as a reply and looked back over at the sidewalk. "I have a feeling you aren't doing a good job, though." She looked up at him and then back down at the newspaper. "How well you know me, Arashi," she said quietly with a strange smile.

_Smiling?_

_How in the world was she smiling at a time like this?_

Arashi frowned and picked up his uneaten roll, propping his chin up on his free palm and taking a bite. He studied her for a moment, watching the creepy curve of her mouth until it wavered and trembled and fell into a harsh frown, her eyes closing to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.

_So that's how…_

"I want to forget, Arashi."

"I know. But, ya can't really, ya know…"

"And so you're dwelling on it, reveling in the pain of it while it's still fresh on your mind?"

Arashi took another bite and sat silent for a few moments, trying to think of a way to explain. "No," he finally said after he swallowed and took another sip of tea. "I'm…I'm purging it out m'system. If I don't do it now, I never will." Another sip of tea, another bite of roll.

Yukari mulled over his statement, then took a nimble bite of her roll. "It sounds ridiculous to me," she said flatly. "Why in the world would you want to go on torturing yourself like that? It doesn't make any sense." "Why would you try forgettin' when ya know you couldn't?" he said simply. Yukari put down her roll and stared down at the paper again. "Because it hurts too much," she murmured and unsuccessfully blinked back a fresh onslaught of tears. Arashi sighed and looked away, placing his hand awkwardly on top of hers and giving it a squeeze.

Not knowing what to say, they remained silent the rest of breakfast, splitting the tab and staring at the sidewalk again.

* * *

It was cold in Arashi's apartment when they walked in. Not knowing where else to go, Yukari had agreed to visit for a while. She was in no mood to look for another apartment, and definitely in no mood to talk to anyone.

Well, except Arashi. It was a whole lot easier to talk to someone who was going through what you were at the same time, even if that person wanted to deal with it in a different way. Face the pain head-on? What kind of remedy was that? Yukari only wanted this all just to go away. She wanted to forget how awful she felt. She wanted to forget the sting of betrayal, the pain of rejection, the hurt. It was enough that he'd been seeing another woman behind her back, but what made it worse was that it had been that way for _two _years. Two years of lies, of falsehoods and stories that she believed. Two years she thought she meant the world to him and she was just a liability. Why had he proposed if he'd been seeing another that long? Why had he asked to spend the rest of his life with her if he really loved another woman? And why, of all the people in the world, did that woman have to be her best friend? She'd been betrayed by not just one person, but two, doubling the sting of the infidelity almost the instant she thought of it. Plopping down on Arashi's couch, she buried her face in her hands and willed herself not to think about it anymore.

_Just go away…just go away…I want it to go away…_

Only problem was, she had a feeling it wasn't just going to go away.

Seconds later, a new batch of tears sprang forth from her eyes and ran in torrents down her cheeks, wetting her skirt and giving her a headache. A few seconds later and the couch caved in on the other side of her and an arm pulled her to a thin but warm and inviting body. A few seconds after that and she was sobbing freely in Arashi's lap, while he tilted his head back and massaged circles in her back, a cigarette poised between his lips, and his eyes closed to capture his own tears, though they leaked forward anyway.

* * *

"What time is it?" she asked groggily several hours later. Arashi, staring at the television with red rimmed eyes, sniffed and glanced at his watch. "About 3 in afternoon." Yukari sat up and looked around the room, taking comfort in the fact that every trace of Miwako was gone. There was no pink, no cute, no Happy Berry; just rock and roll and Arashi splayed all over the place. Thinking of Miwako made her think of Hiro…and thinking of the two of them together hurt. Bad. On the verge of tears again, just that quick, she blinked several times and rubbed her eyes, shaking her head as if trying to get the image out her head.

"Are ya hungry?" Arashi asked, his voice low in the dark room, the T.V. flickering against the walls. Yukari nodded and leaned back on the couch. "Starved." Arashi got up and walked into the kitchen. From the living room, she could hear him moving things around in the fridge. She began conjuring up what he could possibly have in his refrigerator-ketchup, soda, water, leftovers, freezer-burned ice cream in the freezer-and wound up successfully diverting her mind away from her current situation. She got so carried away, in fact, that she was just barely aware of her companion returning to the living room with a tray full of food. There was almost everything imaginable on that tray for making a good sandwich, and as if in approval, her empty stomach gave a low rumble.

"I didn't know what you wanted, so…"

"Thanks, it's fine," she said softly and picked up one of the plastic knives and a piece of thick wheat bread and began spreading mayonnaise on it. Arashi piled his bread high with three types of meat, various vegetables, and every condiment he had available. Yukari stared at him for a moment before chuckling and glancing down at her small sandwich of turkey, mayo, and lettuce.

"What's so funny?" he asked through a mouthful of sandwich.

Yukari shook her head and laughed some more as chunks of the sandwich flew out his mouth when he spoke. Arashi glared for a moment, but couldn't help but laugh himself. It _was_, in a strange way, a bit funny. They sat, eating and chuckling every now and then for a few minutes until the lunch was finished, then sat back and stared at the television.

"That felt good," he said and picked up the remote.

"Yeah," she agreed, still smiling a little, and wiped her mouth with a paper towel.

* * *

"Do you think we'll be alright?" she asked through tears minutes later.

"I dunno," he answered, gripping her hand in his and fighting the urge to scream.

The T.V. flickered off the walls and the sodas got hot and they still sat on his couch, watching T.V. but not watching it, hurting and crying.

"I dunno," he whispered an hour later to a numb Yukari, her head on his shoulder and his resting on top of hers.

* * *

Dinner was quieter than lunch. There was no laugh, no smile, no sweet break from their hurt. Instead they sat at the same couch and ate more sandwiches, washing it down with hot soda and silently staring at the T.V. again.

Then, it was 10 p.m. and Yukari had to go.

"Where you going to?"

"I dunno…"

She wouldn't go back to that apartment, even though she still had the key and the new people hadn't moved in yet. She wouldn't go to her mother's cause she wasn't ready to hear what she had to say yet. She wouldn't go to her brother's cause no doubt, his girlfriend was with him.

She had no where to go…she could only stay.

"I'll make your bed," he said when she trailed off, thinking of where she could spend the night. "I don't have any clothes," she said softly but silently thanked him and followed him toward the spare room. "Wear mine," he stated simply and gathered some sheets for the futon.

* * *

It was terribly nostalgic laying on that futon, staring at those walls, listening to the night outside in this apartment. Nostalgic from ten years before, when she was just a girl, when she was still naïve and innocent, when she began growing up. When she first felt what it was like to be free, when she fell in love, when she made real friends.

When Miwako became almost a sister and Hiro a trusted ally.

When Isabella made the best curry and George…when George was all she thought about.

And it had only been for a few days, but it had been beautiful.

Yukari, at 28, curled up underneath the same old thick blanket she had slept under at 18 and cried for ten years gone.

Arashi, at 28, curled up underneath the same old thick blanket he'd slept under since he was a kid and ached for ten years gone.

He ached for the simplicity of Paradise Kiss. He ached for Miwako.

But most of all, he ached for Yukari, who cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Okay, you know what to do: Read and Review and Refer! 


	3. Mood

Yee haw! Another chapter in just another day! I'm so good...

Disclaimer: Paradise Kiss is property of Yazawa Ai and not me. Sorry, you can't sue me. Besides, I'm broke.

* * *

_Strings_

by Boomerang Butterfly

Chapter 3

"Mood"

It was merely out of habit that Yukari woke up at seven in the morning. She never really needed an alarm clock, and since she usually had some kind of shoot or business to attend to early, she woke up early so she'd be fully prepared. It was Tuesday, and this Tuesday, she had planned, on a very organized and strategically accurate calendar, to go to the baker's and finalize which flavor of wedding cake she wanted. She had planned, on that calendar, to wake up at her bodily set time of seven o'clock in the morning. And she had planned to leave her near empty apartment at around eight, to be at the bakers at eight thirty, and thus beat out the mid morning to late afternoon crowd that usually showed up. she had planned all of this weeks ahead of time, so everything-the cake, the flowers, the location-would all be perfect for her wedding, which, on this Tuesday, would be in a week and four days later.

Or, _would've_ been.

Yukari was not getting married any longer. She wasn't going to wake up at seven o'clock in the morning this Tuesday and get ready to leave her near empty apartment at eight, to be there at eight thirty, so she could finalize which flavor of wedding cake she wanted. She wasn't going to even need a wedding cake. Or flowers. Or even a location.

Therefore, it wasn't much a surprise that she woke up at eleven o'clock that Tuesday morning instead of seven. Four hours of much needed sleep and she still felt like she needed four more. Stretching out on the futon and squinting her eyes in the semi bright sunlight of the room she currently occupied, Yukari debated whether to get up to relieve herself, or stay in bed for another couple of hours. She decided on the latter when her bladder protested and stumbled out of bed toward the one bathroom.

It was painted the wildest shade of red, with black towels and an old fashioned bathtub in the corner. The last time she'd used this bathroom it had been rather plain and ordinary and not much to look at. Apparently, Arashi had gotten bit by the interior decorating bug sometime ago and gave the bathroom a complete and interesting makeover. She used the toilet and closed her eyes to the bright light, wondering where she was going to get a toothbrush and underwear, considering that she hadn't showered since two nights before. It seemed as though her sudden roommate had thought of all that before she had woken up and there was a brand new toothbrush, along side a used one that was Arashi's, and a note by the mouthwash.

She brushed her teeth and read what the note said, smiling just a little at how terrible Arashi's handwriting was and how grammatically incorrect.

"_Yukari,_

_Figured you'd need a toothbrush, so went out this mornin' and got cha one at the convietnts store…um…if ya need me or anything, call meh cell. There's some money on my dresser for any…personal stuff ya mite want._

_Okay, see ya round five?_

_Arashi."_

Yukari finished brushing her teeth (how'd he know she liked the medium bristles?) and ran water in the tub for a good soak. He'd said last night before bed that she could use any of his clothes, so she went hunting once her bath water was done.

Arashi's room was almost just the way she'd remembered. Franz Ferdinand posters on the wall, along with other bands; his guitars ( he'd accumulated three) in the corner by the window; his bed still in the exact same spot; a CD player on the dresser, where she spotted the yen she'd need for undies, or as he'd put it, "personal stuff." She'd probably have to hand wash the undies she had until she was dressed and ready to go to the store.

_He must've known, then, that I'm in no mood to get my things from Hiro's._

It was incredibly sweet and thoughtful of him, even while he was as mixed up and hurt as she was, to think about her feelings. Arashi had always been a reliable friend, but she didn't realize the extent until these past two days. With another small smile, Yukari scrounged his closet for something she could put on and went to take her bath.

* * *

Black and white plaid pants. Red sweater. Black and white checkered vest. Her boots. Hair in a high pony tail. Pants tucked into the boots were an added touch. And then, the coat. The coat she'd left her apartment with, the one she'd worn for two days now, didn't match her current outfit (it was blue) but Arashi had one in his closet that did. It was black leather, and had an eagle on the back, several zippers and chains, and looked absolutely Arashi that she could help but giggle as she put it on.

Slipping her shades on as she left the apartment, she took her keys and the extra key he'd left beside the money with her. First rule of business was getting her car. It was still parked at the apartment complex, and in her car was her purse, along with her credit cards and most of her cash. She'd go buy some personal things, along with a few outfits, until she was comfortable getting her belongings from Hiro's place. She wasn't exactly sure how long that would be, but decided to prepare for at least a month and deduced about how much yen she would need for clothes for a while.

The walk down the street to the train station was fairly peaceful. She focused her attention on what she wanted to buy, fashion wise, and kept her mind off Hiro and Miwako and the wedding that wasn't. She'd have to wait and go back through all her wedding plans and cancel them, sending apologies to the invitees, etc. Yukari was just barely dealing with what she was going through now; there was no need to put salt on the wound. It would be easier, anyway, to have help, and she was sure Arashi wouldn't mind.

Yukari, now on the train, wrapped Arashi's jacket about her frame a little tighter and snuggled in to how warm it was. She wondered briefly if Miwako had ever worn this jacket, but shook the thought away just as quickly as it had come. Before she had a chance to think of anything else depressing, she noticed a group of three high school girls glancing her way every so often and whispering. Deciding that maybe they recognized who she was, she gave a tentative smile and was rewarded with hushed squeals. Seconds later, the little group had come from across the train to over where she sat, and were standing above her looking rather nervous.

"Can I help you?" Yukari asked, breaking the silence. Almost simultaneously, the three girls squealed and then thrust a magazine in her face. "Hayasaka-san, can we have you autograph?" the tallest one managed to squeak out. She was a pretty girl, stunning really, with wavy cinnamon hair and large brown eyes. As Yukari took the magazine and the pen, she glanced over at the girl's companions-a shorter, but rather pretty girl, with long black hair and full lips, and an average height one, cute, with short brown hair, pink glasses, and a heart shaped face. "What's your name?" Yukari directed to the tallest girl. She flipped her cinnamon hair away from her face and smiled brightly. "Harikuri." Yukari then turned her attention to the other two, who in turn gave their names also. "Saia, Hayasaka-san," pink glasses said breathlessly, and then it was the short one's turn. "Mayuri," she said softly, and Yukari suspected she was the shyest of the three. She smiled at her especially and was rewarded with an even bigger smile, though she still insisted on looking down at her feet. "Do you have anything you want signed, Saia-chan, Mayuri-chan? This is probably Harikuri-chan's magazine, hmm?" The three nodded and Saia and Mayuri looked at the books and papers they held desperately for something to have signed.

"How about our school bags?" Mayuri asked as softly as before. Saia's eyes lit up and she nodded enthusiastically. "Ohhh, Yuri-chan! Why didn't I think of that!" she exclaimed. "But what are we gonna use to sign? Pen won't show!" Harikuri rolled her eyes at her friends and dug around in her bag for a permanent marker. "Here, use this," she said authoritively and Yukari guessed that she must be the leader of the little clique. She signed the bags and the girls all squealed a loud thank you, before heading back to their seats, and finding them full. "Awww, our seats are taken!" Saia said, pouting. "Well, we did kinda leave without marking them," Mayuri said thoughtfully, but Harikuri just scoffed. "Whatever. Marking or no marking, they were still _our_ seats." She rolled her eyes again and placed her hand on her hip, flipping her hair again and taking a stick of bubble gum out her pocket. Yukari couldn't help but giggle a little at the girl's antics. _If she only knew…_

"What exactly are you three doing on a train this time of day, anyway?" Yukari asked, already guessing that they were skipping school, but wanting to see if they would tell the truth. "Well…." Harikuri began, "Glay's downtown signing CD's at the music store and we heard they were giving a free concert so…" "Oh," Yukari said, nodding. "I see. So you skipped school to go to a Glay signing." They nodded enthusiastically. "I understand. But why didn't you just wear your regular clothes, and not your uniform? Anyone can tell your high schoolers, and Seiei girls at that." the three looked at each other then at their uniforms, then back at Yukari, shrugging. "Well, we couldn't tell our parents where we were going," Saia said. "They think were at school." "But we're not gonna get caught, Hayasaka-san," Mayuri said. "We've got alibis." Yukari just smiled and nodded, crossing her hands and glancing between the girls. "Alright, but just don't do this too often, okay?" they all nodded briskly and giggled, talking amongst themselves and sometimes to her about silly girlish things, like boy bands and cell phones.

Yukari stared out the window, nodding and giving a 'hmm' every now and then, thinking back to when things had been that simple.

_If only it was that simple now…_

* * *

Arashi was scanning some documents at the accounting firm he worked for when Shinka the secretary, his cynical, sarcastic, but incredibly funny co-worker, poked her head in the door and called for him. "Nagase, boss wants ya." Arashi frowned and set the papers down. "Does this have somthin' to do wit meh hair, Shinka?" he asked, running his fingers through his blond locks that were currently subdued into a ponytail. Shinka shook her head and sighed, a weary expression on her face that just could _not_ be good news. "Nah, Arashi," she said quietly, "I don't think so."

Arashi shoved his hands in his pants pockets and walked out the copy room, down the hall with Shinka behind him. She knocked on his bosses' door and when Kidoshi-san answered, opened it for him. "Good luck, kid," she whispered and when he'd walked inside, closed it behind him.

"Nagase, come in, son. There's something important you and I have to talk about."

Arashi swallowed the lump in his throat and tried ignoring the glum look on his superior's face, then sitting in the facing chair.

* * *

Her car was exactly where she'd left it, in the parking lot of the apartment complex. She took off her shades and stared at the car, a black Lexus SC 430, and jingled her keys that lay in jacket pocket, then pressed the unlock button and the ignition button to start the car. The closer she got, the more her good mood had begun slipping away.

Hiro had bought that car for her.

It was brand new, an engagement present of sorts that he had just bought two months ago. Still had the new car smell, and everything. Once reaching the door Yukari paused opening it and leaned against the car, closing her eyes and remembering when she'd first saw it.

"_Hiro…you didn't!" she exclaimed, staring wide eyed and unbelieving at the Lexus with the big red bow on top. He nodded and handed her the key, laughing and scooping her into a hug when she took it. There were tears in her eyes as she looked up at him and she smiled. "Love you, Yukari," he said and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I love you too," she whispered softly and snuggled into him._

The present day Yukari didn't realize she was crying until she pulled away from the car and looked at herself in the window. Had he meant that he loved her, or had it just been all a lie? Did he just buy her that car to allay the guilt he felt for seeing Miwako behind her back? She shook her head and scowled at herself in the reflection, wiping her eyes roughly and slipping her shades back on, then ducked into the car and closed the door, taking a moment to look at herself in the mirror before driving off.

She was _not_ going shopping looking like this.

Turning the radio on to distract herself, she dug around in her purse to see how much cash she had on hand. Maybe she wouldn't have to go the ATM after all, and she could give Arashi his money back. Just then, her hand brushed up against her cell phone and speeding down the free way, she took it out and began glancing at her messages.

"The agency, the agency, Carol for Clinique, Lise from Chanel…the agency…Jinosuke?"

Jinosuke was her accountant, the one who kept count of her expenses and how much money she had. He never called her cell, and rarely ever called period, so what could be up? She selected the number and decided to call back, and as it rang, she found herself singing along to the song on the radio. "Hello?" "Jinosuke? This is Yukari. You called me this morning?" "Um…yeah. About that, Yukari…you might wanna come down to the office for this." "Wassup?" she asked, getting a little worried. "I'd better tell you here, and not while you're on the road, okay?" Yukari agreed to meet him at the firm and disconnected, hoping everything was okay, but by the sound in his voice, she had a feeling it wasn't.

She set her phone down on the passenger seat, and took the exit that would take her to the accounting firm instead of the mall.

* * *

Yes, another chapter! Oooo and a cliffie to boot! Wonder what's up with Yukari's finances, and Arashi's job? Find out next chapter. Do read and review, kay? 


	4. One Day at a Time

Disclaimer: Paradise Kiss is property of Yazawa Ai and not me. Sorry, you can't sue me. Besides, I'm broke.

* * *

_Strings_

by Boomerang Butterfly

Chapter 4

"One Day at a Time"

She was curled up on the couch when he came home, dressed in his plaid pants that he hadn't worn in probably two years and that big sweater that his mom had bought him for his birthday three years ago. Her eyes were squinted, her lip trembling as she stared unblinking at the television, a black jacket draped around her shoulders to block out the chill from the drafty apartment.

_His_ black jacket. The one with the eagle on it.

He cleared his throat to break the silence as he slipped his loafers off and wearily dropped the bag of groceries on the floor. She sat up, and sniffed, eyes rimmed red and a roll of toilet paper bouncing off the couch onto the floor. "You're home early," she said, with a slight hiccup and moved over so he could sit down. "You look horrible," he commented and plopped down beside her after handing her a bottle of sparkling water. "Yeah, well," she began, but trailed off and went back to staring at the T.V.

They were both silent for a couple of minutes, she sipping on the water every so often and he nibbling on some cookies he'd picked up. But their respective curiosities got the better of them and they both turned to each other, mouths open, to ask what was wrong with the other.

"Is it the obvious?" Arashi asked and offered her a cookie. She took it and stuffed it in her mouth quite ungracefully then shook her head and swallowed. "If you mean am I miserable because my fiancée of two years just ran off with my best friend three days ago, then, well, not exactly." He nodded and ate another cookie. "At least not at the moment," she finished. "Then wot is it?" Yukari snatched another cookie and analyzed it for a few short seconds, then took a more Yukari-like nibble of it. And with the bluntness of a dull axe, turned to Arashi, and blurted out,

"I'm broke."

He frowned, and dusted his mouth off. "Broke?"

"Broke."

"How?"

Yukari took another sip of sparkling water and stared at the television for a moment then scowled. "Most of my money-and when I mean most, I mean a very large chunk of it-was invested in some stock. The stock just fell this morning. All that money, all my assets, they're all gone. So, I'm broke."

Arashi mulled it over for a moment. "D'ya still have any cash in the bank?" Yukari nodded. "Yeah, about 100,000 yen. Why?" "Then you're not broke." She frowned and folded her arms, glaring at him as if he had two horns sprout from his blond head. "What do you mean, I'm not broke? Of course I am! 100,000 yen isn't anything!" Arashi shrugged. "I'm just sayin' from 'sperience," he replied. "I've been broke. That _ain't _broke." Yukari huffed and sunk lower in the couch. "Of course it is," she mumbled, not catching the dirty look she got from Arashi. He shook his head and frowned likewise, scratching his head and staring at the T.V. while she glumly sipped her water.

"Wait, what happened to you?" she asked suddenly, the scowl gone from her face and concern written all over it. "I got fired," he said simply.

"Fired!"

"Yeah, fired. Let go. Laid off. Given the pink slip."

"Why! You didn't do anything to get fired over, did you?" Yukari exclaimed, nearly knocking over her water.

Arashi shook his head and snorted, his mouth set in an angry line. "Nope, 'less ya count just bein' the wrong guy at the wrong time. The firm let go a bunch of guys; I just made the cut, that's all."

"That's…terrible," she muttered, and propped her chin on her knees. "Terrible's an understatement, Yukari," he said, and sank down into the couch. Then, much to her surprise he started laughing, though it was bitter and a little sad. "No wonder Miwako left me. I mean, if she hadn't left me when she did, she'd have left me now. She always got so mad when I lost meh job," he stated, turning toward Yukari. "How many times have you lost your job?" she asked. "Six times in ten years," he replied, and grinned sardonically. "Six times. And every time, she'd get all hot and start yellin' but I just toughed it up and went out and tried findin' a _real_ job to make _her _happy, even if I was miserable. But I finally got it good at the firm, ya know. Had folks I liked workin' wit, stuff that wasn't so tough. Paid enough to get her that lil ole ring. I saved hard for it, too. I guess it wasn't big enough."

Yukari could do nothing but stare. There wasn't really anything she could say. Miwako leaving him for Hiro made Arashi feel inadequate. As if he wasn't enough, wasn't good enough for her. She was on the verge of being angry at Miwako for doing that to him, but Arashi just chuckled sadly and touched her arm.

"Ain't no need to get all hot about it. Nothing you could do." "I know, I just…" He nodded and ate another cookie, slowly, then grabbed her bottle of water. "Mind if I have a swig?" She shook her head, reached for the bag of cookies, and ate until she got tired of chewing.

* * *

It was almost time for dinner, and the two of them were still staring pensively at the television. So far, nothing interesting had come on but the pair hadn't anything else better to do…except talk.

"I guess ya didn't go shoppin' then," Arashi said. Yukari shook her head slowly. "No, I didn't. I wasn't in the mood anymore." "Well, I guess you'll be wearin' meh threads some more, eh?" She looked at him and nodded, stretching her folded legs from underneath her and smoothing out the arms of his sweater. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, if you don't mind…" Arashi gave a short laugh. "Nah, no worries. I don't wear half that stuff in that closet anyways. I see ya picked out the most normal threads I got, eh Yukari."

She smiled a bit and stared down at the plaid pants. "Well, I mean, I wasn't so sure how'd I'd look in those leather pants with all the zippers on them." He just chuckled and leaned back onto the couch. "I think you'd have looked rather smashing, if I say so meh self." And he grinned, making her sniggle. "Oh really?" she asked, and stood up abruptly. "I think yes," he replied. "Well then," she said, and took off toward his room, an idea formulating in her brain. "Where ya goin'," he called after her. She just waved her hand and seconds later, he heard the door to his room shut and lock.

It was about fifteen minutes later, as a bored but curious Arashi stood in the now lit living room, smoking a cigarette, and tapping his foot, before Yukari came, a bit hesitantly, out the room. What he saw shocked him and tickled him at the same time. The usually glamorous and impeccably elegant Yukari was now a leather clad, ripped shirt wearing, spiked hair punk rock princess. She had those leather pants on, along with a sleeveless, ripped Sex Pistols shirt, and the leather eagle jacket on top. Her hair, which had been placed in a smooth refined pony tail earlier, was in a messier and spiked one, and thick black liner rimmed her eyes. She stood there awkwardly (nearly impossible for her), with a nervous smile on her face. For a few moments, Arashi just stood in that same spot, his cigarette burning down, with a bizarre look on his face, and then…

He burst out laughing.

If it had been anyone else, in any other situation, she probably would've taken offense, but she couldn't with him. Besides, it was funny, very funny, to see one of Japan's biggest supermodels looking like one of the dolls of Tokyo's punk scene. "Ah, you look fantastic!" he exclaimed and sauntered over to check out her outfit. "The hair's classic, the makeup is just lovely, and that shirt…well, that's meh favorite." He got a bit silent, as his eyes grazed down to the pants she wore, and so well. "I say," he murmured almost in a whisper, "you wear them pants better 'n' I do!" All Yukari could do was blush and giggle, and wiggled her toes on the bare floor. She plopped back down on the couch and grinning, propped her feet up on the low table in front of the TV. The chains and zippers from the jacket and pants jingled beautifully with her. Arashi sat back down beside her and picked up the remote, that same silly smile still on his face, and they looked at the TV again, even though nothing was on.

"There ain't nothing on this tube," he grumbled a little while later, and glanced at his companion. "Ya wanna listen to some music?" Yukari smiled and nodded, finishing off the rest of her sparking water, which had gotten hot, and staring at her leather clad legs, couldn't believe how good she felt right now.

* * *

She was stretched out on the couch length wise and he was curled up in the corner of it that was in front of her feet. They were silent, listening quietly to the music that Arashi had put in the CD player minutes before.

"What are we listening to?" she had asked when he put the CD in. "Just a little mix CD I made on meh computer," he answered, and pushed play. Instead of the loud, rousing punk rock she was expecting, she got slow, smooth easy music. With the craziest look on her face, she watched as Arashi leaned back, a new ciggie in his mouth, and closed his eyes, apparently enjoying the song. "Yeah, I know, it ain't what you'd expect from me, but well…I like a lil bit of everything, so…I mean, punk rock's just meh specialty, that's all." He tilted his head and had smiled a little lazily at her, and so she merely leaned back and listened.

Turned out, Yukari knew every song on the CD. She swayed her feet slowly to the songs that came on, but didn't start singing along until one of her favorites came on.

"This got's some soul to it," he commented quietly as the first notes began to play. She gasped hearing the song and smiled just a little. "Oh, I love this song!" she exclaimed quietly, and nudged him with her big toe. "Who would've know, huh? _Arashi_ listening to Howie Day." He chuckled and took a puff from his cigarette. "Yeah, well. Dude's got some incredible lyrics, ya know." She nodded. "And his singing is so real," she responded dreamily. "This is my favorite one, too." "Well, shush, then, so we can hear it!" he growled and she just laughed, but was quiet once Arashi began singing.

"_Sweet is the sight _

_Of her room _

_Window opened by candlelight _

_Cold winter on the shore _

_Chills the dress she wore _

_It's on the floor _

_Still it feels so warm tonight "_

Then Yukari gathered her courage and sang along with him, quietly at first, letting Arashi have the most volume but picking up the slack when he suddenly stopped singing.

"_And that's why I'm wondering why _

_You had to tell me _

_What's going on in your head _

_What's wrong _

_Come around to another time when you _

_Won't have to run"_

"_And when she says she wants somebody else _

_I hope you know that's she doesn't mean you _

_And when she breaks down and makes a sound _

_You'll never hear her the way that I do _

_And when she says she wants someone to love _

_I hope you know that she doesn't mean you _

_And when she breaks down and lets you down _

_I hope you know that she doesn't mean you" _

Once the song had ended, Yukari burst out laughing and Arashi too, because of how fun it was. They had gotten silly by the end, Arashi hitting really high notes that weren't even there and Yukari singing intentionally off key. "Okay, okay, okay," she wheezed through her laughter. "What's next?"

The next song was a Coldplay one, that started off with acoustic guitar and was almost perfect for Arashi's voice. He began singing softly, his eyes closed, and Yukari remained silent except for the chorus, because she only wanted to hear him. It struck her somewhere around the time she began singing the chorus how ironic the lyrics were.

"_We never change, do we? _

_We never learned to leave,_

_So I wanna live in a wooden house,_

_I wanna live life, always be true,_

_I wanna live life, and be good to you,_

_I wanna fly, and never come down,_

_And I live my life, and have friends around."_

In a way, neither she nor Arashi had ever really changed. But, they had changed. They were the same, but different. And now, they would have to change more. The mood got a bit more somber, as the song ended, and she sang along with him quietly,

"_So, I wanna live life in a wooden house,_

_Making more friends would be easy,_

_I wanna live where the sun comes out…"_

They were both very quiet after, staring at the CD player and musing over what the song really meant. Arashi changed the next song, which was by Zero 7, and on to an Aqualung song. He settled back into the couch and didn't bother singing this time, just listening to the words and then closed his eyes and tried not to cry.

_I'm tongue tied _

_Waiting _

_Hoping _

_And praying _

_Lying _

_Beside you _

_Longing _

_To touch you _

_But this feels like the end _

_So tired _

_We are _

_Drifting _

_Too far _

_Eyes closed _

_Tightly _

_Thinking _

_There might be _

_Some way _

_But this feels like the end _

Yukari stared the whole time at Arashi, a bit apprehensive and was tempted to turn the song off, but decided against it. His brow was furrowed with the struggle not to cry, but it was fruitless. Slow, silent tears crept down his cheeks and Yukari felt a tug at her heart, not for herself but more so for him.

Then, he choked out a few words to the song, brokenly, and got up wiping his face violently and not looking at her. "Arashi," she called softly, sitting up but he just shook his head. "I need to be by meh self for a lil while, Yukari," he said sadly and went to his room, shutting the door behind him.

Yukari sat on the couch, and was suddenly cold, listening to the rest of the song and repeating the lyrics that Arashi had sang so sorrowfully in her head.

"_But this feels like the end…"_

* * *

It had been quiet for the last thirty minutes or so. Yukari still sat on the couch, listening to the rest of the CD and fighting back tears herself. All she could think about was Hiro. How he'd sworn he'd love her forever, how he'd been so wonderful after her breakup with George, how for years they had been friends and then slowly fell in love. And suddenly, in one guilty confession, all of that was washed down the drain, along with her trust and her friendship with Miwako. Not only had Miwako hurt Arashi, but she'd hurt Yukari, as well. And Hiro had hurt Arashi. Their friendship had been strained for some time after ParaKiss broke up, but they found a way to work it out. And for years now, it had seemed as though the two had finally gotten back what they had from when they were kids.

Was that all just a lie? Had Hiro lied to her about loving her, and had he deceitfully used his friendship with Arashi to get closer to Miwako? Had he just used her as a pawn, as a decoy to hide his real intentions? Yukari hoped so much that that wasn't the truth. It would've been easier to understand if he had, though. And she could've moved on already, using her sorrow as fodder for pain so she could forget…but in her heart, she didn't believe Hiro or Miwako capable of being so cruel. Maybe…maybe it was inevitable, maybe they couldn't help it. Besides, you couldn't choose who you loved, right?

Nonetheless, the thought was still painful.

She buried her face in her hands and sobbed softly, dimly aware that there was a blunt thudding sound coming from the adjacent wall. A few minutes later and the sound got louder. She looked up, and sniffling, got up off the couch slowly and walked toward the sound, which just so happened to be coming from Arashi's room.

What was he doing in there?

She hesitated outside his door, but suddenly a loud crash erupted from the room and Yukari, remembering how torn he'd looked before leaving the living room, slowly opened the door to see what was wrong.

He was in the middle of smashing a picture frame when she came in. He turned, hearing the door open and saw Yukari standing there, taking in the sight of his room and the look on his face, looking as though she'd seen a murder. "Oh…" she whispered, and took a step into the battered room. His clothes and sheets were scattered all over the place; the CD player he had on the dresser was lying ajar on the floor in a far corner; several shards of glass, that she guessed was probably a vase or something had crashed against the wall and were dotted amongst the clothes. But it was Arashi himself that scared her the most. He looked absolutely hellish, tears streaming down his face, his slim body shaking violently, a wild, feral glow in his eyes. "Arashi," she began quietly, staring at the man in front of her. "Oh Arashi…" "Don't even say it," he ground out painfully. "Don't even say you're sorry, Yukari, cause it won't help. It won't excuse why she left me. It won't excuse that I wasn't good enough for her. It won't excuse that she loved _him, _that she wanted _him_ more than me. And it won't bring her back!" He reared his arm back and threw the picture frame against the wall viciously no doubt imagining it was Hiro.

Yukari dared take another step into the room, hoping that maybe she could calm him down so he wouldn't hurt himself. "Arashi," she said calmly. "I know you're hurt. I know you feel like the world's crashing down on you. I know cause I'm going through what you're going through. But maybe, maybe if we look at it, maybe Miwako didn't mean to hurt you the way she did." He scowled and stomped over to her, ignoring the shards of glass the lined the floor. "How can you stand there and say that!" he exclaimed. "How can you just sit there, and take up for somebody that stole your fiancée right under your nose?" Yukari gasped, his words stinging painfully. "She…she…" "She what, Yukari?" he asked. "What did she do, besides hurt you an' me? Huh?" Yukari fell silent and stared at the floor, tears forming in her eyes again. He snorted. "That's right, nothin'. She ain't done nothin' but made me an' you miserable. And what did we do to deserve it, huh? Besides love her, I dunno." He walked over to his bed and sat down, the anger and fight gone, replaced with sorrow and pain. "She knew I loved her, she _knew_," he said so softly, Yukari almost couldn't hear. She looked up and walked slowly over to wear he sat. The sight of him, now broken, was so heart wrenching, she shed more tears not for herself, but for him.

Kneeling down in front of him, she attempted to make eye contact but he kept his eyes shut. "Arashi," she whispered. He gripped the edge of the bed painfully, took in a deep, shaky breath, and finally looked at her. There was so much hurt in his eyes, so much…

"What didn't I do, Yukari?" he asked, lost, new tears welling up in his eyes. "What did I do wrong?" Yukari wrapped her arms around her hurting friend and hugged him tightly to her, the contact breaking the fragile barrier around him, and he broke down sobbing onto her shoulder. "Nothing," she whispered, her own tears leaking onto his shirt. "I don't think you did anything wrong." "Then why'd she leave?" he wailed. "I don't know. If someone wants to walk out of your life, you can't really stop them," she said consolingly. "Even if it hurts, you just gotta let them go. And one day, they'll realize what they had. It may be too late by then, but at least you know you tried." "It hurts, Yukari," he whispered, his sobs quieting into silent tears. "I know," she answered, wiping her eyes. "It's gonna hurt. But, we just gotta take it one day at a time. It'll get better one day."

He was quiet then, his head still resting on her shoulder and her arms still cradling him. They sat on his bed like that for a while, eyes closed, listening to the other's breathing. Then, he lifted his head, and staring into her eyes, managed a weak smile.

"You'll need a place to stay since you're not moving in with…with…"

She nodded quickly. "I can't affort an apartment now," she replied, sniffling and wiping her face and his.

"You'll stay with me, kay?"

She nodded again.

"You've got liner runnin' down ya face," he commented, and all she could do was nodded and smile some more, then lay her head on his shoulder and took his hand in hers.

"One day at a time, huh, Yukari?"

"One day at a time."

* * *

AN: 

Okay, so anyways, next chapter gets a little more upbeat. We'll skip ahead a few days, and meet some more of the old gang, namely…yeah, you know who.. And as a side note, the lyrics to the songs don't belong to me. In case you wanted to know, the first was Howie Day's "She Says"; the second was "We Never Change" by Coldplay, and the last one was "Tongue Tied" by Aqualung. I hope you liked this one, do review. I love reviews…hint hint.


	5. New Grounds

Disclaimer: Paradise Kiss is property of Yazawa Ai and not me. Sorry, you can't sue me. Besides, I'm broke.

* * *

_Strings_

by Boomerang Butterfly

Chapter 5

"New Grounds"

"ARASHI!"

"WOT!"

"ARE YOU DONE PACKING YET?"

"HUH?"

"I SAID, ARE YOU DONE PACKING YET?"

"I DIDN'T HEAR YA! CAN YA SAY IT AGAIN?"

Yukari growled and rolled her eyes, dropping her carry-on on the floor and stomping across the hall to Arashi's room. The door was wide open, but loud, thunderous guitar poured from the room, drowning out her words so that he only heard her voice and not what she said. He was currently throwing clothes into a worn suitcase, which sat on the bed and was on the verge of overflowing. Yukari shook her head and going over to the CD player, pressed paused, earning a glare from Arashi.

"Ahhh, I was listenin' to that!" "I know," she said and stumbled cautiously into the clothes strewn room, trying not to fall over the mounds that littered the floor. "But you couldn't hear what I said." Arashi shrugged, stuffing another pair of pants into the full bag. "Well, you got meh attention now. What'd ya say?" "I asked if you were done packing, but it doesn't look that way." Arashi grinned. "I figured we might go out on the town and so I wanna look meh best. Trouble is, I can't just pick one outfit, ya know?" Yukari couldn't help but laugh, because, she really did know. "I swear, Arashi, you've got more fashion sense than some women." "And more trouble pickin' out threads," he added.

Break

It had been one week and two days since she'd asked Arashi to come with her to New York. One week and two days since he'd gotten fired. One week and two days since she lost her savings. One week and two days since they'd promised each other they'd take it one day at a time. Tomorrow, Yukari would've been enjoying her last day as a bachelorette with her friends, laughing over tea and cake at her bridal luncheon. Tomorrow, Arashi would've been getting everything ready for Hiro's bachelor party.

But instead, they were packing for a trip to New York, a trip that would've been Yukari and Hiro's honeymoon. They were going to go to the Broadway show that would showcase costumes designed by the brilliant Koizumi Johji, and they were going to spend those two weeks soaking in what the Big Apple had to offer, spending time with friends that neither had seen in years.

In other words, Yukari was _not_ about to let those plane tickets go to waste.

So, one week and two days ago, sitting on Arashi's bed after his breakdown, she'd asked him if he wanted to go to New York with her. He had stared, blankly, for a second and then stammered, "Well, sure, yeah, if you want me to go." Yukari was thrilled; she ran into her room and came back out with a notepad and begin jotting down a list of things that needed to be done before they left, like getting Arashi a passport and what she wanted to buy for the trip. And then, some where into to making the list, she realized she didn't have any clothes. None of hers, anyway. All of her clothes were at Hiro's boxed and in bags because she had planned on moving in before the wedding. And along with her clothes, were two plane tickets to New York City, along with two tickets to the Broadway show.

Basically, if Yukari and Arashi were going anywhere, they were going to have to get everything that belonged to her from Hiro's flat.

Yukari shuddered at the thought. "How in the world…I'm not ready yet, Arashi. What if I can't face him without breaking down?"

Arashi shrugged, and dug his hands into his pockets. "Who ever said you had to go when he was home?" Yukari opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She finally found words and stared confused at him. "You don't expect me to break in, do you!" Arashi shook his head. "Course not. I'm no criminal, ya know." "Well how do you expect me to get into his apartment without a…oh…right…" Yukari then realized she had a key to that apartment still, seeing as she had planned to move there. And since she hadn't seen Hiro in four days, she hadn't had a chance to give him the key back.

Arashi just sighed, as if the obvious had been in front of her the whole. "Oh shut up," she muttered as she jotted down 'get my things from Hiro's' on her notepad. "I wasn't thinking." He gave her a lopsided grin. "I guess you ain't a model for nothing, eh Yukari." He just barely missed the pillow that was hurled to harshly at his head. She stood up once she was finished and was headed to the kitchen for something to eat, but paused at the door and turned toward him.

"You'll go with me, won't you?" she asked a bit tensely.

Arashi gave her a bit of a smile and nodded. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"

* * *

Next day, Wednesday, Yukari was the first one to get out at the complex in her car, staring up at the sixth floor that was Hiro's flat. Arashi was right behind her in his pickup, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he stared up at the building. "So this is it, huh?" She nodded silently and with a mental push, walked toward the complex.

They were both quiet on the elevator trip up to the sixth floor. Arashi tried shifting his mind away from the fact that he was going to the apartment where the woman he loved was now living with his best friend. Yukari hoped and prayed no one was home, so she wouldn't have to confront either Miwako or Hiro. But if she was right, they were both at work; Hiro at the office and Miwako at Happy Berry. When they got to apartment 608, Yukari stood outside the door just staring at it, her thoughts in a scramble, her hands reluctant to put the key in the door. But Arashi squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and her hand somehow managed to put the key in the know, turn it and open the door.

The apartment was large, a spacious flat Yukari and Hiro had picked out together. Hiro moved in first because it had taken longer for her to break her lease than he. His presence was well established in the flat, painfully for Yukari, and she walked slowly through the door, pausing to take a glance around. Her things were still boxed up in a corner of the living room just as they'd been when she had begun moving in a week before, behind the sofa, the tape still securely in place. She walked slowly over to where the sat and gently touched one of the boxes, one labled 'shoes' and drew in a breath.

It was all surreal. This was it, this was the catalyst. There was no going back now. If she took everything, if she packed up and left she knew she wouldn't come back. Could she forgive Hiro? She didn't know, but she knew now that he and she would never be.

It was overwhelming.

Yukari choked back a sob and nearly sank towards the floor, the bitter reality suddenly sinking in. This was no joke. It hadn't been all a dream. But before she knew, Arashi's strong arms were there to hold her up, cradling her to his chest as she sobbed. "It's okay," he whispered softly, smoothing her hair back from her face, "Go ahead and cry." She cried for a good five minutes or so, messing up Arashi's shirt but he didn't mind. He knew that had that been him in her spot, she'd have done the same, and had done so last night. It never occurred to him that it may have seemed strange that he, of all people, was offering comfort. It never crossed his mind that he was letting a side of him that he rarely ever showed anyone shine through-the dependable, sturdy, reliable Arashi. He merely did what came natural at the moment. And the one thing he could think to do was offer a shoulder for a friend to cry on.

When Yukari had cried out, she stood up, sniffling but a little bit more resolved to get her things and go. It wasn't fair that he made her feel so terrible while he and his lover were so happy together. She narrowed her eyes and wiping them, stomped resolutely over to one box, heaved it up, and began walking towards the door. "Where ya goin'?" Arashi asked. She hadn't said anything after her cry; she merely had stood and grabbed a box, looking determined as she did so. "I'm moving out, Arashi," she said, some strength in her voice, fueled by her anger towards her ex-fiancée and her ex-best friend. "Are you gonna help, or what?" Arashi stood stunned for a minute, but hopped to it and taking two boxes, followed his comrade towards the door.

* * *

They worked for three straight hours, taking Yukari's boxes and bags downstairs via elevator to her car, and when it filled, his truck. She walked around the apartment once the boxes were done and found things of hers she had already unpacked, like the dishes in the cupboard (hers), the comforter in the linen closet (hers) and even the bed that was currently set up in Hiro (and now Miwako's ) room. "So you're gonna take the whole bed with ya?" Arashi had asked, confused. She nodded vigorously, already advancing toward it with a screwdriver and an Allen wrench. "It's mine, I bought it." No use in arguing with that logic. Arashi watched from the doorway as she piece by piece brought the bed down. She took the mattresses off (also hers) and had his help in setting them aside, then began working on the headboard, the frame, the footboard, until the entire bed lay on the floor in pieces.

Arashi glanced around the room while she worked, his heart thudding painfully each time he saw a piece of Miwako about the room. Which was a lot. She had, in only four days, nearly completely moved into the apartment, her touch on many parts of the bedroom especially. Happy Berry merchandise hung from a chair, strawberry scented air fresheners sat on the desk, and a pair of her pink maryjanes sat in the open closet, along with her clothes. He fought every urge he had to just turn around and leave, but stayed to help Yukari. He figured it would help solidify the fact that she was gone if he saw it for himself first hand.

Within an hour, Yukari had finished taking the bed apart and he and she were dragging mattresses and frames towards the elevator. It was tiring work, but they got it done, fueled by Yukari's itching to out of Hiro's apartment, and his life. Once everything of hers was downstairs in either her car or Arashi's truck, she sat, exhausted, against the bar in the kitchen and stared at the wall, trying the catch her breath and wondering where all this stuff was going to fit in Arashi's apartment. "So," she breathed, tilting her head towards Arashi, "What do we do now?" Arashi wiped sweat from his brow and sighed. "We go home." Then he stood up, and offered her his hand.

* * *

The rest of the week was rather uneventful. Arashi searched the classifieds for a job and Yukari unpacked some of her things during the morning, after breakfast. Most afternoons, if they weren't watching television or listening to music, he helped her email or call the wedding guests to let them know that the wedding had been cancelled. Yukari got many inquiries about what went wrong, but simply said that 'something had come up' and apologized for the inconvenience. She surprised Arashi and herself with how strong she was when making the calls, knowing that each one reminded her of what she could've had. And when it was evening time, Arashi cooked dinner and they ate in front of the TV or Yukari drove them downtown for a dinner at one of her favorite restaurants.

In the days ahead, the both of them got a little bit stronger everyday. It still hurt to think about what had happened. It still was painful when they thought about Hiro and Miwako. But it was slowly getting better. She still cried and so did he. But neither were ever alone to grieve. They had each other, though neither of them really realized it, to lean on, to cry with, and to talk to.

* * *

One week and two days after she'd gotten her things from Hiro's, Yukari and Arashi were pulling up in a taxi to the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. Arashi had been hanging out the out the window, staring wide eyed at the birthplace of "CBGB's, Yukari, God, the best place in the world to play music!" and "The Ramones, the New York Dolls, Patti Smith, just to name a few." He'd never been to New York before, and it had been his ambition to go just once in his life if he could help it. This, in some ways, was a dream come true. Yukari just stared at the passing cars and traffic nonchalantly, as in her ten year modeling career, she'd been to New York several times. But inside, she was secretly nervous, her insides shaking, her heart thudding rapidly every time she thought about the reason they were here.

She was going to see George for the first time in almost a decade.

It wasn't so much that she was scared to see him in that she wasn't sure what he would be like after all this time. Would he still be the same old George? And would seeing him spark something inside her that she thought had been buried for years? She had convinced her self long ago that she wasn't in love with him anymore. But the very thought of seeing him, of hearing his voice, of smelling his cologne, made her more nervous than she thought imaginable.

"Yukari."

"Hmmm?"

"I think we're here now."

"Oh, okay."

* * *

"You alright?" he asked in their room, she sitting on the single bed and he making the couch up to sleep on. "Hmm?" she turned around and started, lost in thoughts and memories of George. Arashi shook his head. "You're not gettin' nervous are ya, Yukari?" She spun around and starred at him dumbfounded, a frown on her face. "How'd you even know it was him I was thinking about?" Arashi laughed. "C'mon, it's so obvious. I mean, you're about to meet a man you fell in love with ten years ago for the first time in a decade. I'd be nervous too." Yukari fell back on the bed and starred at the ceiling. "God, Arashi, I swear, you know too much." He chuckled and sat down on the other side of the bed. "Nah, I just got good intuition, that's all."

"Intuition, huh? Or is it just written all over my face?"

Arashi tapped his chin, as if in thought. "Ahhh…I'd say the latter, actually. Anybody who knew you and what happened between you two would know what was swimmin' in that head of yours." She sighed and rubbed her temples. "What am I gonna do, Arashi?" she moaned, letting a whine out. "What d'ya mean, what are ya gonna do? You're gonna go to that play and give him a hello, that's what cha gonna do." "I didn't mean that," she murmured. "I mean, once I get to the point where I actually have to speak to him. What if nothing comes out, what if I freeze? What if…"

"What if you start feelin' things for him you thought you didn't no more?"

She was still for a moment but sat up and turned to stare at him, a pout plastered on her beautiful face. "Yeah, exactly." "I'm guessing," he said, pulling a new cigarette out of his pocket, "that you don't wanna see him because you think you'll fall for him all over again, am I right?" She nodded begrudgingly. "Does he still have that much of a hold on ya, Yukari?" he asked gently. She frowned and stared down at the comforter on the bed, tracing the pattern with her finger. "I…I don't really know. That's what I'm afraid of." "Of what?" "Of…myself. That I'll slip right back into the old Yukari, the needy and jealous and…and…"

"And 'head over heels for an idiot' one?"

She scowled at him but nodded anyway. "Precisely." "Well," Arashi said, "there's not much you can do about that but face it head on. I mean, to truly know if you're over someone, you gotta be able to look at 'em, face 'em without it goin' to ya heart, ya know?" Yukari thought about it for a moment and realized he was right. "Just like I'm not ready to face Hiro yet, cause I know I'm not over him?" she asked quietly, and slowly, he nodded. "And the same with me and Miwako. I still love her, God help me, I still do." He took a drag of his ciggie and leaned back on the bed. "So I know I ain't no where near ready to look her in her eyes and not see how much I do."

They both sat quiet for a while after that, Yukari mulling over both Hiro and George and Arashi over Miwako. Then, "That's why he went after Miwako," she said so softly Arashi almost didn't hear her. "Wot?" he asked, his full attention on her now. "That's why Hiro cheated on me with Miwako." Arashi frowned. "Wot is why Hiro left you for Miwako?" Yukari, still and taut, sat on the bed, not really sure of how to say what she had just discovered. Staring blankly at the headboard of the bed, she took in a shaky breath and whispered,

"I didn't love him enough."

Arashi's eyes widened, and then narrowed incredulously. "That's ridiculous, Yukari and you know it." She shook her head violently. "No, Arashi, it's true!" Her voice was on the verge of breaking, her eyes still staring unblinking at the headboard. "It's true…I didn't love Hiro enough. I wasn't there, I wasn't enough. I was always busy. My work came before him, when he needed me I wasn't there, but he always had Miwako." Then, she choked on a sob and clasped her hand on her mouth.

"I didn't love him enough cause I was still in love with…with…George!"

She stood up abruptly and went to the window, watching the snow fall through silent tears, her hand still by her mouth, her shoulders shaking. Arashi, not knowing what to do, followed and stood beside her, putting his arm around her with a sad sigh. "Well," he said, "if you didn't love him enough, I guess I didn't love her enough either." And with that, she closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder, letting her tears fall freely.

* * *

Arashi loved New York. It was a brilliant place, busy and bustling like Tokyo but different in many ways. Over the next two days, Yukari and Arashi explored what the Big Apple had to offer, even though they merely scratched the surface. The first place they went, of course, was CBGB's and later that night was treated to a show, though Yukari wasn't sure how'd she fit in. She took the safe route and wore some of Arashi's clothes, letting him pick out the pieces for her, one of which was those leather pants with the chains and zippers, and do her hair and makeup. By the time she was done, she could blend in just as well with any of the locals in New York's punk scene, with a little bit of her own personal flair and some of Arashi's style to set her apart.

Arashi didn't really like the first band, but it was merely the idea that so many of the bands that he admired and respected had made their mark here. Yukari couldn't help but smile at the glow in his eyes when he walked into the place; she realized he only had that look in his eyes one of two time-when he was with Miwako or when he was listening to or playing music.

The second band, however, was a cover band, playing all the biggest punk hits, all of which Arashi eagerly sang along to. It wasn't so much of singing as it was shouting. The place got loud almost instantly, from the moment that "Blitzkrieg Bop" started to the last chords of "London Calling". Arashi was thrashing and dancing and moshing along with all the songs, nonstop almost, in a surge of energy that only music could bring out. Yukari hadn't planned on any thrashing, but got caught up in the music when he drug her out to the floor, and found she actually liked the music. It was wild, unapologetic, energized, crazy, and all around loud, something she normally wouldn't have leaned to, but she was enjoying herself immensely, without even thinking about it. By then end of the night, when the last song had been played and everyone was clearing the club, Yukari was sweaty and breathless but happier than she'd been in almost two weeks.

"How'd ya like it?" Arashi asked as they walked, his arm linked in hers, down the street towards the subway that would take them back to their hotel. "Oh, I loved it!" she exclaimed. "I've never had so much fun! Is it like that all the time?" He nodded and gave her a huge grin. "All the time. It's somethin' you just can't put into words, ya know?" She nodded in agreement, because for the first time, she _did_ know. "And you can play stuff like that?" He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. I think I'm pretty good, but apparently the other guys didn't."

Yukari frowned and snuggled into her coat, getting colder as they walked along. "What do you mean? Are you talking about The Babys?" Arashi nodded. "I'd wondered what happened to you guys," she mused. "I mean, the band's gotten big at home, but I had wondered why you had quit." He was quiet, looking ahead at the sidewalk with a sullen look on his face. Suddenly, Yukari got it. "Oh…you didn't quit, did you?" "Nope," Arashi responded. "I got fired. In fact that was the second job I was fired from." "But you're such a good singer! Why'd they fire you?" "Creative differences," he said simply. "They wanted a softer, more balladry sound and I wanted to go more punk. Plus, they blamed the fact that after five years we still didn't have a deal on me." Yukari formed a small 'o' with her lips. "But I guess it's for the best, ya know. They've been doin' real good. I went to one of their shows about a year back, sounds alright, but just not what I was into."

"Have you thought about starting a new band?" she asked, mostly out of curiosity to hear what he would say. He brightened at the mention of this. "Actually, yeah, but I hadn't any time, tryin' to support Miwako and all." He shrugged. "I guess I got all the time in the world now, huh?" She smiled as they walked into the subway. "I guess so. When we get home, I think you should get back focused on your music. New band members, songs, management, the works. Let's see...You play guitar, so all you'd need is a bass player and a drummer, right?" He cocked his head to the side and thought. "I suppose. But two guitarists make it louder. I'd probably look for another guitarist, too." "As if punk rock could get any louder," she said grinning. "Oh, it could," he responded smiling, and gave her a wink.

* * *

The next day, they went shopping. Arashi spent the rest of his paycheck and she took a little out of her bank account and they just splurged, hitting Neiman Marcus and Prada. Arashi found a thrift store that had an old Sid Vicious tee shirt and bought it for Yukari, and she got him a CBGB hoodie with studs on it. Lunch was at a local pizza parlor, then it was off to Sam Goody, where he introduce Yukari to some mainstream punk legends. For the underground stuff, it was off to a local indie shop, and Arashi dived right in. Some of the bands he hadn't even heard before but loved the look of the CD cover and bought it anyway. Others, the owner had available to listen to and he bought some from just hearing the first songs. Even Yukari bought a few others for herself, and by the time dinner rolled around, they were really near broke but were laughing too hard and singing too loud to notice.

* * *

She was nervous, but Arashi was there, so that made it a little better.

Smoothing the front of her lace ivory gown-the one she'd picked out as her wedding dress but didn't have anywhere else to where-Yukari swallowed a few times and pulled out her compact to make sure she looked okay. "You can stop doin' that, ya know," Arashi said, smiling reassuringly. "Ya look fantastic." She smiled back, but couldn't help the butterflies in her tummy. Deciding that it wouldn't help to look like a stuttering, blushing school girl in front of her ex-flame when in actuality she was an elegant, graceful, world renowned model, Yukari tried focusing on something else.

Like what Arashi was wearing.

He had stunned her when she saw him initially, dressed in a pair of black pinstripe slacks, a white button down shirt and a black blazer. He had opted to only a few of his numerous piercings, taking the pin out his lip and eyebrow, but leaving some in his ears. But what had her stunned the most what that his usually blond spiky hair wasn't spiky. It was straight. And hanging down to nearly his shoulders, swinging beautifully with every movement he made. Her mouth had dropped when she saw, her eyes widening, and he had given her a shy grin. "Thought I'd do somethin' a lil' bit different, that's all." Yukari hadn't been able to resist the urge to run her fingers through the blond strands, gasping softly at how silky and soft his hair was when it wasn't stiff from gobs and gobs of gel and hairspray.

That had been three hours ago.

The play had been lovely, funny just like it had advertised. And yet, Yukari couldn't help but cry by the end, just like she had thought she would upon receiving the tickets. The costumes were so George it almost hurt, old memories flooding back into her mind of years gone, when Paradise Kiss was what she lived for and her life had just begun. She could see it all-the atelier, the old sewing machines, the pool table (and Arashi and Miwako on it…), Isabella cooking lunch, George sitting on the barstool with his latest designs. It was all there, etched in her memories forever where she wanted them to be, resurfaced fully once she saw the costumes live, on stage. For two hours she had held out from crying, but it was the ending, with all the actors on stage, that brought tears. It was all George Koizumi, as they called him here in New York, laid bare on the stage.

Now, she stood anxiously in the lobby waiting for him and Isabella to finish with everything backstage. Isabella had called her cell yesterday night, setting up a time that the four of them (which had meant Hiro, sense neither Isabella nor George knew about the breakup yet) could meet, and saying that she had made dinner at her and George's apartment just for the occasion. Any second now, and she would see her first love, for the first time in ten years, and it was taking a toll on her nerves. The diversion of Arashi's appearance had helped a bit but pretty soon her thoughts were on the blue haired fashion genius again. Would he still be the same old George she had fallen in love with? She was almost scared he would be.

Then she was snapped out her thoughts by Arashi's voice. "Ahhh, there they are!"

Yukari, biting her lip, snapped her compact closed and slipped it into her matching clutch, then gathered her courage and stared straight ahead, catching her first glance of George in a decade.

He was _still_ breathtaking, and maybe even more so, sophistication and elegance oozing from him with every step toward her he took. On the outside, she was calm, poised, set and ready to greet him as if he was really just an old friend and not her first love. On the inside, she was a jumbling mess. And yet, she found that it was strange how her heart didn't pound almost painfully when he looked at her, or how she didn't get that feeling, that certain melting feeling when she saw him smile. He was smiling now and all she could deduce was that she was nervous.

_Mission accomplished! You haven't fallen in love again yet!_

Of course, he still hadn't spoken yet. That was test two.

"Carrie!" It was Isabella that spoke first, looking as gorgeous as ever, tall and stunning in what she could only guess was a George creation. "Oh, Carrie, it's so wonderful to see you!" Isabella rushed over to Yukari and gathered her in a hug, Yukari smiling and taking in the warmth of her old friend. "Isabella, it's so nice to see you too," she said and stepped back to get a good look. "You look fantastic, as always." Isabella blushed. "Oh stop it! Not as nearly as beautiful as you." Then, turning her ornately adorned head, she gasped at seeing Arashi instead of Hiro. "Arashi! What are you doing here?" Arashi smiled and cocked his brow, glancing at Yukari who now had her eyes on a still silent George.

"You hadn't told em, yet, eh Yukari-girl?" Arashi asked, and she shook her head. "I guess it slipped my mind," she said softly, her eyes still locked with George. He smiled, that same old smile, and she smiled back, extending her hand to his, taking in the warmth when he reached for her.

"Ten years and all I get is a handshake, Yukari?"

There it was! That voice! Oh, that voice…that once had done things to her that nothing else could, but only sparked more memories and threatened to bring fresh tears. He pulled her in for a hug and she returned it hesitantly at first, but sank into him a few seconds later, breathing in his cologne (still the same old cologne) and marveling at how he still felt the same. "George," she breathed, once he let go, and blinked so she wouldn't cry. "It's been a while hasn't it?" He nodded and settled his eyes with hers, sparkling as he looked at her. He looked exhausted, but in a good way, as if he had just accomplished something so amazing, so phenomenal, that all his energy had been expended and yet he was still radiant. "A while yet," he answered, then shifted his gaze to Arashi.

"I must say," he quipped, taking the other man's hand, "I surely wasn't expecting you here." Arashi shrugged, grinning and scratched the back of his neck. "Neither was I," he responded, then grinned at Yukari who gave a soft giggle and blushed. "Come now," Isabella said suddenly, dusting imaginary dirt from her hands, "You've got to tell us what's been going on!"

Then George took Isabella's arm and Yukari took George's and Arashi's and all four, four fifths of Paradise Kiss-the label, the legend, the one thing that had made them-walked out the theater and into the waiting New York January night.

* * *

Yes, chapter five was a bit more upbeat than the last four. Chapter six gets better. Wanna preview? Well, lets just say that Yukari and Arashi make the most of their time in NYC (enjoying their vaca, getting a break from the Hiro/Miwako thing, getting set to start Arashi's new band) and Yukari and George get reaquainted...to find that things aren't the same as they used to be.

So, till then, do review, and see ya next time!


End file.
